Suspect in Temecula freeway crash says “zombies” were chasing him
A 19-year-old suspected of stealing a big rig anddriving out of control on Interstate 15, triggering a chain reaction crash thatinjured at least a half-dozen people, took the 18-wheeler because he thought”zombies” were chasing him, authorities said today.
Jeremiah Clyde Hartline, of Tennessee, was arrested on suspicion of autotheft and receiving stolen property in connection with a multi-vehicle crashthat occurred around 6 p.m. Saturday on northbound Interstate 15, near TemeculaParkway.
Reports that a second suspect was involved proved unsubstantiated,according to the California Highway Patrol.
Hartline allegedly stole the tractor-trailer when the driver of the rigstepped out to complete paperwork at the CHP’s Rainbow Canyon commercialvehicle compliance station just off the interstate.
Officer Nathan Baer told City News Service the suspect, a transient, hadhitched a ride with the northbound trucker and was apparently under theinfluence of an unknown substance when he began to hallucinate.
“He told our investigators that he thought he saw zombies chasing afterhim,” Baer said.
According to the CHP, Hartline slid behind the wheel of the idling truckand stomped the accelerator, heading onto the freeway, but less than twomiles into the ride encountered trouble steering the rig, which was loaded withstrawberries.
The truck sideswiped a Toyota Tacoma pickup, causing that vehicle tocollide with a Toyota 4Runner pickup, which hit a Mercedes-Benz, according toBaer.
The Tacoma overturned, while the Mercedes-Benz sedan and 4Runner spuninto the center divider, Baer said.
The big rig veered to the left, out of control, striking a Ford Taurusand a Honda Accord before jackknifing and blocking all four traffic lanes,according to the CHP.
Baer said Hartline leapt from the semi and ran to a van that had stoppednearby, climbing inside and demanding that the driver take him away. Thewitness detained Hartline until CHP officers arrived.
Hartline was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and booked intothe Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, where he’s being held in lieu of$5,000 bail. Charges are expected to be filed Wednesday if he doesn’t post bondbefore then.
The occupants of the Tacoma — Kyle Schlosser of San Jacinto and SarahSmall of Hemet — were seriously injured in the crash and remain hospitalized,according to Baer.
The occupants of the other vehicles suffered minor to moderate injuries,Baer said.
The freeway was closed for three hours for the cleanup and investigation.
